Major League Soccer is about to be joined by football’s biggest star, Lionel Messi. But the 2022/23 campaign, for the most part, has been a restatement to the league’s growth. While nearly half of the season is yet to be played, it’s time to acknowledge some of MLS to perform and announce the current Team of the Season.
The TOTS and final standings are most likely to change. After all, Messi’s new team, Inter Miami, is glued to the bottom of the table, an ignominy that David Beckham’s club hopes to change soon.
Still, these are the players that would make the Team of the Season right now, and a look at a growing and exciting football league hoping to rival the European competitions.
Goalkeeper
Djordje Petrovic (New England Revolution) – 745 points in FootballCoin
Djordje Petrovic is the top goalkeeper ahead of Roman Burki, according to the stats. The fact that the Serbian’s transfer to MLS has been a success will be a weight off New England’s shoulders. But their overall performances are enough to worry fans. Last year, they dominated MLS and won the regular season with ease.
Still, Petrovic’s performances are worth the hype surrounding the keeper. New England has conceded 23 goals in 19 matches, and the keeper’s 80.6% shot-stopping is nothing to sneeze at this year.
Defenders
Rodrigues (San Jose Earthquakes) – 963 points
Rodrigues is one of the breakout stars of the San Jose team, which includes plenty of exciting talent. The 25-year-old Brazilian has started every match. His stats show Rodrigues is arguably the best defender in the league with splendid tackles and interceptions a common occurrence.
Yeimar Gomez Andrade (Seattle Sounders) – 923 points
Yeimar Gomez Andrade has built an impressive career in the MLS for himself. And, in 2023, he’s proven just how necessary experience can be in the American league. When it comes to interceptions, especially, Andrade is the undisputed leader in MLS.
Together with Swiss keeper Stefan Frei, Andrade has turned Seattle’s defense into something of a fortress, and the team is eying a place in the playoffs.
Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union) – 882 points
Jakob Glesnes joined Major League Soccer two years ago following several seasons spent in his native Norway. He has carved out a nice place for himself in Philadelphia Union’s setup and even managed to win the MLS Defender of the Year award in 2022.
This year, he has been Philadelphia’s most important player, starting 19 matches and constantly providing strong defensive contributions. Glesnes even managed a goal, only the fourth of his career in American soccer.
Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders) – 845 points
Jackson Ragen and Gomez Andrade are one of the best central defensive pairings in MLS. Good on the ball and capable of reading play well, Ragen rightfully enters our current Team of the Season.
Midfielders
Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC) – 910 points
Hany Mukhtar arrived in MLS as one of the league’s most promising talents. After all, by age 25, Mukhtar had played for Benfica, RB Salzburg, or Brondby. His experience has served him well, and the former German wonderkid is now a contender for the MLS TOTS.
This season, Hany Mukhtar has scored thirteen goals and assisted six, and, largely, has run rings around opponents. The midfielder’s legacy as one of the greats of the modern MLS era is all but secure.
Thiago Almada (Atlanta United FC) – 867 points
Thiago Almada is one of Argentina’s most talented youngsters. And, he’s already one of the best players in Major League Soccer. This year he managed seven goals and eight assists. His excellent ball control and vision make him one of the players that soccer fans will want to keep watching.
Erik Thommy (Sporting Kansas City) – 840 points
Erik Thommy is a dependable, highly-professional midfielder. No, he’s not flashy and doesn’t score as many goals as some offensive-minded players on our list. Thommy, however, is a leader and a player capable of performing well in a variety of roles.
Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy) – 826 points
Riqui Puig is a name you’d expect to be on the MLS Team of the Season. After all, his transfer to LA Galaxy arrived as something of a shock.
Puig was viewed as wonderkid and earned decent playing time for FC Barcelona before opting to move to the USA in 2022.
It’s a gamble, certainly. But Puig‘s masterful passing is winning soccer fans over and could make the youngster one of the best players in MLS history.
Forwards
Christian Espinoza (San Jose Earthquakes) – 837 points
Christian Espinoza is one of the forwards that has given soccer fans a real treat. The Argentine has scored eight and assisted four. The naturally-flowing, attractive football supported by San Jose is important in order to help football, a low-scoring game, earn more fans in the U.S.A.
Dejuan Jones (New England Revolution) – 745 points in FootballCoin
Dejuan Jones has broken any goal-scoring records this season. In fact, he has only managed one goal throughout the entire campaign. However, his performances have been consistent. Jones has some of the best records in the league for progressive carries, pass completion, and shot-creating actions.
In an MLS season that hasn’t included a good deal of attackers making a name for themselves, Jones, an attack-minded full-back originally, did just enough to warrant a place in our Team of the Season.
This all bares the question of whether Lionel Messi will be on this list by the end of the season. Yes, he has less than half of the campaign to do it. However, after easily earning our Ligue 1 MVP, anything seems possible for the Argentine as he embarks on his American adventure.
